Resonator means for pianos



Oct.l29, 1968 I y E. vwusms 3,407,594

' Y l RESONATOR MEAS FOR PIANOS l Filed Dec. Il.v 1966 I A MPL/Ffm l United States Patent O 3,407,694 RESONATOR MEANS FOR PIANOS Ernest Vagias, 265 Prospect St.,

Baden, Pa. 15005 Filed Dec. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 598,413 9 Claims. (Cl. 84-194) This invention relates generally to pianos of the type having means lfor reproducing `and amplifying their sounds, and more particularly to improvements in the resonatorl means of said piano. e As is known, microphones or other acoustic-electric and mechanico-electric translating devices have been employed in pianos to convert the sound radiations into electric oscillations. By means of suitable electronic apparatus, theseA electric oscillations have been amplified and reconverted to audible sounds. These devices have been placed, for example, directly on the sounding board of the piano and at various other locations above the sounding board, as evidenced by the prior art. However, the sound produced by each of these arrangements has been poor and can best be described as tinny or cannedf v The reasons why the reproduced piano sounds are tinny or canned are not completely understood. In the case where the device is secured directly to the sounding board, one possible explanation might be that the natural frequency of the sounding yboard is altered when contacted by the translating device thereby decreasing the efficiency of the sounding board.

In my copending application Ser. No. 498,336, filed Oct. 20, 1965, I have described a musical instrument provided with means for converting the vibrations of the tuned vibrators into electric audio signals which, in turn, are reconverted into audible musical tones. In accordance with the aforesaid application Ser. No.

498,336, the converting means is affixed directly to and tones of low intensity and amplify these low intensity l musical tones so as to produce musical sounds which are indistinguishable from the sounds of a large grand-type piano, for example. Furthermore, the small size piano may incorporate a single string for each note in the musical scale.

As should be apparent, a single treble string produces a sound of relatively low intensity and of relatively short duration both of which are a result of the short length of the treble strings. Consequently, a greater volume or a more sensitive converting means was thought to be necessary to reproduce the sounds of the treble strings, lIt has been discovered, however, that the treble strings produce a tinny or canned sound regardless of the volume. When va more sensitive converting means is employed, the sound produced is still tinny or canned with the added disadvantage that the bass and tenor string sounds are also amplified and interfere.

Accordingly, as an overall object, the present invention seeks to provide improvements in a piano whereby the musical sounds thereof may be reproduced and lamplified without any detectable distortion or loss of tone value.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved resonator means for generating the sounds of the treble strings independently of the remaining strings of the piano.

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' A further object of the present invention is to provide improved resonator means comprising two separate sounding boards each coupled to a set of tuned vibrators whereby the'vibrations produced in either sounding board are substantially entirelyv prevented from being reproduced in the other sounding board.`

The present invention is particularly adapted foruse in pianos. As is known, a'piano'has a plurality of tuned vibrators including treble, tenor and bassvibrators, and resonator means which is coupled to the tuned vibrators and radiatessounds in accordance with the vibrationsl of thetuned vibrators. f e

In accordance with the present invention, a: single string is preferably employed for each of the tuned vibrators. The resonator means comprises a first sounding board coupled to the treble vibrators and a second sounding board coupled to the bass and tenor vibrators. The first sounding board is isolated from the second soundingboard whereby vibrations produced in either of the soundingboards are substantially entirely prevented from being reproduced by the other sounding board. In reality, the first and second sounding boards are physically separated such that vibrations produced in one will not be transferred to the other.

The musical scale of the piano may consist of eightyeight notes. In accordance with the present invention, the treble vibrators range in number from thirty-one to forty-two of the eighty-eight notes and preferably c011- sist of thirty-seven of the eighty-eight notes. The musical scale of a piano may consist of sixty-four notes. In accordance with the present invention, the treble vibrators range in number from twenty-six to thirty-five of the sixty-'four notes and preferably comprise thirty of the sixty-four notes.

Further in accordance with 'the present invention, the first sounding board, that is the sounding board coupled to the treble vibrators, has a thickness which is less than the thickness of the second sounding board. Furthermore, the thickness of the bridge engaged by the treble strings is less than the thickness of the bridge engaged by the tenor and bass strings. The first sounding board and the bridge associated therewith are more easily set in motion by the vibrations produced by the treble strings and are more sensitive to these vibrations.

'Ihe above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Y

FIGURE 1 is a schematic front view illustrating the internal construction of `an upright piano incorporating the improved resonator of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along a string of the piano in FIG. 1 and further illustrating the improved resonator means of the -present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 1 and further illustrating the improved resonator means of the present invention.

Piana-General description Referring now in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated an upright piano 10 including a frame 12 having a -harp 14 only fragments of which are illustrated here, secured at various locations thereon. As is conventional, the harp 14 includes an upper harp portion 16, -a lower harp portion 18 and an intermediate harp portion 20. Extending between the upper harp portion 16 and the lower and intermediate harp portions 18, 20 is a`plurality of tuned vibrators consisting of a plurality of bass vibrators 22, a plurality of tenor vibrators 24 and a plurality of treble vibrators 26.

Referring now in particular to FIG. 2, a single tuned vibrator is illustrated and designated generally by the letter V. A damper 28 serves to damp the vibrator V which is set in motion by a hammer 30. The (dampers 28 as well as the hammers 30 are incorporated into action elements and a keyboard both of which are not illustrated or described herein inasmuch as they are conventional and form no part of the present invention.

In general, each tuned vibrator V is connected to a hitch pin 32 at one end and extends over a rib 34 and is connected to a tuning pin 36 at its opposite end. Turning of the tuning pin 36 will, of course, alter the tension of the vibrator V and, hence7 its frequency vibration. Each tuned vibrator V also contacts a bridge B which is affixed to resonator means R. The bridge B serves to transmit the vibrations of the tuned vibrator V to the resonator means R. By means of the bridge B, the resonator R is coupled to the tuned vibrators and is, therefore, adapted to radiate sound in accordance with the vibrations of the tuned vibrator V. As shown in FIG. 2, when one of the tuned vibrators V is caused to vibrate, sounds corresponding to these vibrations will radiate from both sides of the resonator means R, as schematically illustrated by the dotted waveforms labeled S.

Present improvement Reference is now directed to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In accordance with the present invention the resonator means R comprises first and second sounding boards 40 and 42. As can best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the first and second sounding boards 40, 42 are isolated from each other by a separation or space l44 between the adjacent edges 46, 48 of the sounding boards 40, 42, respectively. In other words, the first sounding board 40 is completely separated from the second sounding board 42.

The first sounding board 40 has treble bridge means 50 aliixed thereto and engaged by the treble strings 26. The second sounding board 42 has tenor bridge means 52 affixed thereto and engaged by the tenor strings 24 and bass bridge means 54 affixed thereto and engaged by the bass strings 22. In this connection it is to be noted that the treble bridge means is completely separated from the tenor bridge means 52.

Accordingly, the first sounding board 40 and the treble bridge means 50 operate as a resonator completely independently of the second sounding board 42 and associated tentor and bass bridge means 52, 54. The overall arrangement is such that vibrations produced in either of the first and second sounding boards are substantially entirely prevented from being reproduced in the other sounding board.

Further in accordance with the present invention, and as best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the thickness of the first sounding board 40 is less than the thickness of the second sounding board 42. Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the thickness of the treble bridge means 50 is less than the thickness of the tenor and bass bridge means 52, 54. Consequently, the first sounding board 40 and the treble bridge means 50 associated therewith are considerably more sensitive and, therefore, capable of reproducing the vibrations of the treble strings 26 with greater intensity than heretofore possible.

It is also preferred in the present invention that a single string be employed for each note in the musical scale. That is to say, a single string is used for each of the bass vibrators 22, for each of the tenor vibrators 24, and for each of the treble vibrators 26. Consequently, the overall stress produced by the vibrators 22, 24 and 26 is approximately two thirds less than the corresponding stress produced in conventional pianos wherein multiple strings or unison are employed for most of the notes in the scale of the pianos. By virtue of this reduction of the overall stress, the first and second sounding boards `40, 42 need only be as thick as necessary to sustain the stresses produced by the tuned vibrators.

Sounding b0ards-Separaton point The point at which the separation 44 occurs between the first and second sounding boards 40, 42 depends on the number of notes in the piano scale. For example, smaller pianos incorporate sixty-four notes in their musical scale. In this piano, the separation 44 may occur such that the treble vibrators range in number from twentysix to thirty-five ofthe sixty-four notes. Preferably, however, the separation 44 occurs at a point where the number of treble vibrators is thirty-one of the sixty-four notes, that is, between the thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth note in the sixty-four note scale.

In a larger piano, eighty-eight notes are included in the musical scale. In this piano, the separation 44 may occur such that thetreble vibrators range in number from thirtyone to forty-two of the eighty-eight notes. Preferably, however, the separation 44 occurs at la point where the number of treble vibrators is thirty-seven of the eightyeight notes, that is, between the fifty-second and fifty-third note of the eighty-eight note scale.

A mplifcatz'on The piano 10, as shown in FIG. 1, may be provided with an electronic amplification system wherein converting means 56, 5S and 60 are secured directly and solely to the treble, tenor and bass bridge means 50, 52 and 54, respectively. The converting means 56, 5S and 60 produce electric audio signals which are transmitted to amplifier means `62 for subsequent reconversion to audible sounds by speaker means 64. The amplifier means 62 and speaker means 64 are shown enclosed by a dash-dot line to indicate that they may comprise elements of a stereo or hi-fi system found in the average home. Alternatively, the amamplier means 62 may be incorporated into the piano and it is preferred that the speaker means 64 be placed at a distance from the piano in order to take advantage of an ensemble effect created when the natural musical sounds radiated from the piano are heard with the sounds reproduced through the speaker means 64.

Summary From the foregoing detailed description it should be readily apparent that the present invention provides improved resonator means for generating the sounds of t-he treble strings independently of the tenor and bass strings. Furthermore, the combination of the present resonator means and converting means affixed directly and solely on the various bridge means, produces an improved piano whose musical sounds are reproduced and amplified without any detectable distortion or loss of tone value.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with one specific embodiment, it should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a piano having a plurality of tuned vibrators including treble, tenor and bass vibrators, and resonator means coupled to said tuned vibrators for radiating sounds in accordance with the vibrations of said tuned vibrators, the improvement of:

said resonator means comprising:

a first sounding board coupled to said treble vibrators; and

a second sounding board coupled to said bass and tenor vibrators;

said first sounding board being isolated from said second sounding board whereby vibrati-ons produced in either said sounding board are substantially entirely prevented from being reproduced by the other said sounding board.

2. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said first sounding board has a thickness which is less than the thickness of said second sounding board.

3. The improvement dened in claim 1 wherein said rst sounding board and said second sounding board are physically separated by a space.

4. The improvement defined in claim 1 including:

rst bridge means aflixed to said first sounding board and engaged by said treble vibrators for transmitting the vibrations of said treble vibrators to said rst sounding board;

second bridge means aflixed to said second sounding board and engaged by said tenor and bridge vibrators for transmitting the vibrations of said tenor and bass vibrators to said second sounding board; means, one connected solely to each of said bridge means for converting the vibrations of the associated tuned vibrators into electric audio signals; and

means coupled to said converting means for applying said electric audio signals to speaker means.

5. The improvement defined in claim 4 wherein said treble bridge means has la thickness which is less than the thickness of said tenor and bass bridge means.

6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the musical l scale of said piano consists of eightly-eight notes; and

said treble vibrators range in number from thirtyfone to forty-two of said eighty-eight notes.

7. The improvement dened in claim 1 wherein the musical scale of said piano consists of eighty-eight notes; and the number of said treble vibrators is thirty-seven of said eighty-eight notes.

8. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein the musical scale of said piano consists of sixty-four notes; and said treble vibrators range in number from twenty-six to thirty-live of said sixty-four notes.

9. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein the musical scale of said piano consists of sixty-four notes; land the number of said treble vibrators is thirty of said sixty-four notes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 910,632 1/1909 Zinco 84-194 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE FRANKLIN, Assisirmr Examiner. 

1. IN A PIANO HAVING A PLURALITY OF TUNED VIBRATORS INCLUDING TREBLE, TENOR AND BASS VIBRATORS, AND RESONATOR MEANS COUPLED TO SAID TUNED VIBRATORS, AND RESONATOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VIBRATIONS OF SAID TUNED VIBRATORS, THE IMPROVEMENT OF; SAID RESONATOR MEANS COMPRISING: A FIRST SOUNDING BOARD COUPLED TO SAID TREBLE VIBRATORS; AND A SECOND SOUNDING BOARD COUPLED TO SAID BASS AND TENOR VIBRATORS; SAID FIRST SOUNDING BOARD BEING ISOLATED FROM SAID SECOND SOUNDING BOARD WHEREBY VIBRATIONS PRODUCED IN EITHER SAID SOUNDING BOARD ARE SUBSTANTIALLY ENTIRELY PREVENTED FROM BEING REPRODUCED BY THE OTHER SAID SOUNDING BOARD. 